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TAEYANG
@ ICC Sydney,
27th November 2024
(Live Review)

Review by Amelia Torresan

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Photo – Ruby Boland

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It’s a guarantee that anyone who had a K-Pop phase at any point in time has heard of the hit boy group sensation ‘BigBang.’ Dubbed the ‘Kings of K-pop,’ BigBang, who debuted back in 2006, and its members have sent shockwaves through the industry and paved the way for the globalisation of the genre. Last night at the ICC Sydney Theatre, BigBang’s bad-boy vocalist and b-boy sensation, Taeyang, returned to Sydney after 9 years to showcase his solo tour dubbed  ‘The Light Year Tour.’ They say ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder,’ and Taeyang’s sold-out show was a testament to the loyalty of his, and as a whole, BigBang’s fans. As the lights dimmed, the crowd screamed with their BigBang and Taeyang lightsticks on and at the ready and preparing for a night they wouldn’t forget.

Taeyang glittered as he appeared onstage, his outfit and presence shining under the stage lights as he began the show with ‘Prayer’ and ‘I’ll Be There’ from his 2010 album ‘Solar (International).’ Every move was choreographed and performed to perfection, each step sharp and precise while simultaneously looking effortless. Taeyang’s decades of performance experience were evident as he truly looked at home on the stage. The backup dancers kept right up alongside his pace and effort, resulting in a high energy and visually stunning display of talent that excited the crowd.

Taking a moment before the next song in the setlist, Taeyang delivered a heartwarming speech to the crowd, thanking his fans for supporting him at his show, despite the large gap between tours and requesting that “If you know the songs, stand up and dance and sing along with me.” Safe to say, most of the crowd were up on their feet for the remainder of the show.

Taeyang then brought the good vibes with his next song ‘Vibe’ a collaboration with BTS vocalist Jimin which was released last year. The song is funky and easy to dance along to, a perfect collaboration of his classic musical style and the fresh, pop vocal stylings of Jimin. It was then time to throw it back 10 years to arguably Taeyang’s most popular album, ‘Rise,’ with the next two tracks in the setlist: ‘1AM’ and ‘Stay With Me.’ This album is my personal favourite of his releases as it was released at the height of my very own K-pop phase and brought back the memories of hearing his music all those years ago.

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Photo – Ruby Boland

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The visuals that decorated the stage were planetary themed, playing into the tour’s ‘The Light Year’ title and the lightsticks lit in the crowd resembled the stars that surround them, much like how fans surround planets in the solar system. Slowing down the pace in the setlist were ‘Make Love’ and ‘Inspiration’ before one of Taeyang’s most iconic releases, a song that’s almost synonymous with the singer himself, ‘Wedding Dress.’ As soon as those first few notes played, the crowd jumped up to their feet and sang right alongside him. His choreography was just as crisp as what was showcased on the music video and live shows 10 years ago.

After a brief break and a costume change, Taeyang continued on the solemn song theme, paying tribute to the band that shot him to fame, BigBang, by performing a small medley of songs: ‘Blue,’ ‘If You,’ and ‘Loser.’ Cheers from the audience echoed around the venue as they applauded with admiration and thanks, glad that Taeyang was still eager to share BigBang’s music on his solo tour. After admitting that at first, he didn’t want to include the next song in his setlist because it was so physically demanding, Taeyang continued to perform ‘Where U At’ anyway. It was easy to see how intense the choreography was, but Taeyang had a talent for making it look effortless, like he was filled with the spirit of Michael Jackson performing every movement with passion.

Taking a short break, the stage screens showed behind the scenes video footage of Taeyang and his cast and crew preparing for The Light Year tour. It’s incredible to see how much effort and practice went into the tour, from photoshoots to dance practice, Taeyang wanted to make sure everything was perfect as he prepared to hit the road. Angelic in a head to toe white suit, Taeyang appeared, not on stage but in the crowd, singing his next song ‘I Need A Girl’ as he high-fived, hugged, and offered the mic to eager fans who tried to get as close as they could to him. It was such a wholesome moment and really set him apart from other idols, painting him as one who truly loves and appreciates his fans. A cover of ‘Talk is Cheap’ by Chet Faker illuminated by a spotlight followed as he sat down at a piano, and then the beginning of the second round of BigBang songs: ‘Fool of Tears’.

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Photo – Ruby Boland

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It was now the time in the set where every person jumped up faster than you could say ‘Bang Bang Bang’ because Taeyang had shocked the energy back into the crowd with the first few notes of BigBang’s ‘Bang Bang Bang.’ ‘Fanstastic Baby’ followed, Taeyang never letting the energy of the crowd drop for even a second as the crowd sang/screamed the lyrics, waving their lightsticks around with gusto. Keeping the good energy of the crowd going was ‘We Like 2 Party’ featuring a dance break with the backup dancers who were introduced alongside the band members on the screen. Following another costume change was Taeyang’s collaboration with LISA of Blackpink: ‘Schoong,’ a fun and upbeat track that highlights their vocal talents with matching choreography. ‘Ringa Linga’ then closed out the upbeat tracks with the whole crowd dancing along to the hook as I’m sure they’ve done for years.

The beginning of the end was inevitably here, Taeyang already thanking the crowd for their support, for “being a path in my life and a flower in my heart” as he began to sing ‘Seed’ a song communicating “emotions and thoughts from the past, but there’s also a desire to move forward.” You could feel the emotion through the song as he performed and the audience had their lightsticks and phone torches lit in solidarity. The theme of love carried through as Taeyang performed his “final” song of the night, one of my personal favourites, ‘Eyes, Nose, Lips.’ The crowd was just as loud as he was, passionately singing the lyrics back to him.

After the classic ‘encore fake out’, the upbeat and fun vibes returned alongside Taeyang as he performed ‘Superstar’ and ‘Body,’ all the while still maintaining perfect choreo alongside his backup dancers. ‘Bad Boy’ followed, then the perfectly fitting and poetic final song ‘Still Life.’ The lyrics to ‘Still Life’ communicate a goodbye but not a goodbye forever, almost like how Taeyang is saying farewell to the end of this show, but promising to return again soon.

Taeyang’s ‘The Light Year Tour’ is a beautiful tribute to his own music and the music of BigBang, and a thank you letter to the fans that have been around since his time in BigBang and have supported him through to his solo career. His skills in performance is a testament to the almost two decades of experience performing for a crowd and his choreography is just as on-beat and passionate as it was on day one. I would honestly go and watch this ‘King of Kpop’ perform again in a heartbeat.

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Photo – Ruby Boland

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Follow TAEYANG
Tik Tok – Instagram – Facebook – Spotify

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Photo – Ruby Boland

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Press Release 31st October 2024 (below) HERE

TAEYANG
announces
‘TAEYANG 2024 TOUR
[THE LIGHT YEAR]
IN AUSTRALIA’
dates In November

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AMNPLIFY – DB